Aggies draw Utah State in first round in Spokane, Wash.

The Aggies will travel a long way to take on … another bunch of Aggies in the NCAA tournament.

Fifth-seeded Texas A&M (23-9) will face 12th-seeded Utah State (27-7) on Friday in Spokane, Wash. A&M, which tied for second in the Big 12 regular season, is taking part in its fifth consecutive NCAA postseason.

A&M is part of the South region, and should the Aggies defeat Utah State, they’ll face either Purdue or Siena in the second round. If A&M advances to the Sweet 16 for the second time in four years, it will compete in Houston’s Reliant Stadium. Duke is the South’s top seed.

The Aggies have bowed out of the tournament in the second round the past two seasons under coach Mark Turgeon. A&M played its two Big 12 tournament games in Kansas City – a win over Nebraska and a loss to top-ranked and top overall seed Kansas – without starting point guard Dash Harris, who has a hurt right (shooting) wrist.

Harris said after the Kansas game that he hopes the extra rest means his wrist will be ready for the NCAA tournament. In a sidebar, A&M has the potential to face third-seeded Baylor in Houston for the right to go to the Final Four in Indianapolis.